User Guide - Auto-Generated Soaring Conditions

Cross-Country Soaring 2004

User Guide

8. Auto-Generated Soaring Conditions

When you launch CCS (in unscripted mode), random thermal soaring conditions are automatically generated according to the CCS Control Panel settings. Below are the possible ranges of values for these conditions as automatically set by the program. Ridge soaring conditions are generated only after you have created/imported slope data for the flight area. To learn how to create and import slope data, see Creating and Using Slope Lift and The Slope Data Library.

thermal base altitude (bottom of lift)

ground level

maximum thermal height (top of lift; can change throughout the flight)

cloudbase +/- a few hundred feet (3K-10K ft. AGL, or as set in the CCS Control Panel, in clear skies)

thermal durations

15-25 minutes (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)

time window for thermals to exist

(see below)

thermal peak (core) strength

400-900 fpm (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)

thermal diameter (lifting portion)

0.4-1.2 miles (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)

widespread sink strength

·        using all CCS defaults: 8-19 fpm

·        setting user-defined thermal strength, diameter, and coverage in the CCS Control Panel but letting CCS calculate the sink strength: 0-1,300 fpm

·        user-defined in the CCS Control Panel: 0-200 fpm

air texture intensity

0-100, as set in the CCS Control Panel

inversion layer likelihood

0-100%, as set in the CCS Control Panel

inversion layer thickness

500-1,000 ft. (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)

inversion layer strength

10-50% reduction in lift/sink strength

inversion layer altitude

1,000-2,000 ft. (or as set in the CCS Control Panel) below the lift ceiling

time period

thermal strength

before 10 AM

no thermals

10 AM – 1 PM

increases from 0 to peak for the day

1-4 PM

peak for the day

4-6 PM

decreases from peak for the day to 0

after 6 PM

no thermals

If you start CCS in unscripted mode and soaring conditions aren't to your liking, then simply restart the program, and new conditions will be generated. If you want to define specific soaring conditions, do so using the CCS Control Panel (see Customizing Soaring Conditions and CCS Control Panel), and then restart CCS.

Table of Contents

thermal base altitude (bottom of lift)	ground level
maximum thermal height (top of lift; can change throughout the flight)	cloudbase +/- a few hundred feet (3K-10K ft. AGL, or as set in the CCS Control Panel, in clear skies)
thermal durations	15-25 minutes (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)
time window for thermals to exist	(see below)
thermal peak (core) strength	400-900 fpm (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)
thermal diameter (lifting portion)	0.4-1.2 miles (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)
widespread sink strength	· using all CCS defaults: 8-19 fpm · setting user-defined thermal strength, diameter, and coverage in the CCS Control Panel but letting CCS calculate the sink strength: 0-1,300 fpm · user-defined in the CCS Control Panel: 0-200 fpm
air texture intensity	0-100, as set in the CCS Control Panel
inversion layer likelihood	0-100%, as set in the CCS Control Panel
inversion layer thickness	500-1,000 ft. (or as set in the CCS Control Panel)
inversion layer strength	10-50% reduction in lift/sink strength
inversion layer altitude	1,000-2,000 ft. (or as set in the CCS Control Panel) below the lift ceiling

time period	thermal strength
before 10 AM	no thermals
10 AM – 1 PM	increases from 0 to peak for the day
1-4 PM	peak for the day
4-6 PM	decreases from peak for the day to 0
after 6 PM	no thermals